nes
or were just going to lay."

The eggs of this species are moderately broad ovals, sometimes
slightly elongated, always more or less appreciably pointed towards
the small end. The shell is extremely smooth and has a fine gloss.
The colour, which is extremely uniform in all the specimens, is an
excessively delicate pale blue with a faint greenish tinge, a very
beautiful colour. They vary from 1 to 1.18 in length, and from 0.71 to
0.82 in breadth.

537. Sturnia blythii (Jerdon). _Blyth's Myna_.

Temenuchus blythii (_Jerd._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 331.
Sturnia blythii (_Jerd._), _Hume, cat._ no. 689.

Mr. Iver Macpherson sent me from Mysore three eggs and a skin of a
Myna, which latter, although in very bad order, is undoubtedly _S.
Blythii_. He says:--"It is very possible that the bird now sent is _S.
malabarica_, and it is such a bad specimen that I fear it will not be
of much use to you for the purpose of identification. I think it is
_Sturnia blythii_, as Jerdon says that _S. malabarica_ is only a
cold-weather visitant in the south of India.

"I will, however, try and procure you a good specimen of the bird. It
is only found in our forests bordering the Wynaad, and as it is far
from common, I am not well acquainted with it.

"I am also inclined to think that it is not a permanent resident with
us, but that a few couples come to these forests only to breed.

"The only nest I have ever found was taken on the 24th April, 1880,
and was in a hole of a dry standing tree in a clearing made for a teak
plantation and contained three fresh eggs.

"A few days subsequently I saw a brood of young ones flying about a
dry tree in the forest, so probably the breeding-season here extends
through April and May."

The eggs are very similar to those of _Sturnia malabarica_ and
_S. nemoricola_, but perhaps slightly larger. They are moderately
elongated ovals, generally decidedly pointed towards the small end.
The shell is very fine and smooth, and has a fair amount of gloss. In
colour they are a very delicate pale greenish blue. They measure 0.99
and 1 in length by 0.71 in breadth.

538. Sturnia malabarica (Gm.). _The Grey-headed Myna_.

Temenuchus malabaricus (Gm.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 330; _Hume, Rough
Draft N. & E._ no. 688.

I have never met with the nest of the Grey-headed Myna myself, but am
indebted to Mr. Gammie for its eggs and nest. That gentleman says:--"I
obtained a nest of this species near Mongphoo